Score-keeper.



L. A. BROWN.

SGOBE KEEPER... APPLICATION Hum 14,191

Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

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Swan/who e WV L. A. BROWN.

SGORE KEEPER.

APPLIOA TION FILED .umu, 1910.

Patented Feb. 28, 1911 2 SEBETS-BHEET 2.

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Th8 uoluus rnnu co WASHINGTON, m c.

LUCIUS A. BROWN, OF CLAY CENTER, NEBRASKA.

SCORE-KEEPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

Application filed January 14, 1910. Serial No. 538,066.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Looms A. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clay Center, in the county of Clay and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Score-Keepers, otl which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to score keepers wherein all of the chief and important plays may be recorded.

This invention also contemplates the construction of a device of this type and character wherein the portion of the inning will. be automatically indicated as the required number of outs for each half of the inning are recorded.

A. further object of this invention is to construct a score keeper on which the individual scores of the players may be kept and also the relative scores of the team.

This score keeper is also designed to be provided with a device that will enable the operator to instantly tell which player is at the bat, etc.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the outs and innings recording disk; Fig. 4t is a top plan view of the scoring disk for the visiting team, said disk being the base element of the device; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the home team scoring disk; Fig. 6 is a central. longitudinal section of the entire device; Fig. 7 is a section showing the means of rotating said disk.

The score card forming the subject-matter of the present invention comprises a se ries of concentric disks mounted on the headed pin a, the lower extremity of said headed pin having the threaded reduced por tion 6 on which is mounted the nut 0, retaining said disks in their operative position.

The base plate cl of the score card may be constructed of metal or other suitable material and is provided with a point a con trally located on the periphery thereof indicating the starting point of the various disks. On one side of the central point e is marked'or printed Home team, and on the other Visiting team, said indications having arrows at the outer extremities thereof to act as a guide for the indicators f hereinafter more fully described.

A series of numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4:, etc., are printed on said disk having the numeral 1 adjacent the arrow and extending up to 9 indicating the number of players on a side and so located in order that the operator may instantly locate the batter in a manner hereinafter more fully set forth. Beginning directly under the central mark 6 and QX- tending to the right are a series of numerals commencing with 0 and extending indefinitely, said numerals being located on the disk adjacent the numerals indicating the player at the bat, and parallel thereto. These numerals are to record the score of the visit ing team and for the purposes of description will be indicated as g.

Itotatably mounted on the central pin a and located directly above the base disk (Z is a disk It provided with the opening 2', which opening will be located directly below the central mark 6 before the score is recorded and will encircle the 0 of the series 5 Printed about the opening 2' are the words Visiting team score, and consequently the numeral which appears in said opening will indicate the number of runs placed to the credit of the visiting team.

Commencing with the 0 located directly under the opening i is a series said series extending about the disk indefinitely and forming a means of tallying the runs of the home team. A button is is located adjacent the periphery of the disk and is provided with a pair of prongs 1 which are deflected and sunk into the disk, thus said prongs will in no way interfere with the rotation of the disk. while the button. Z; will provide a means of rotating the same.

A. disk Z is mounted on the pin similarly to the disk It and is of a smaller diameter than the latter, said disk being provided with the opening on. This opening on is flanked by the words Home team score, and is adapted to encircle the numerals of the series y', and as a result tally the scores obtained by the home team. This disk is also provided with a button 76', which provides a means for rotating the same. A se ries of numerals a commencing with 0 located directly under the opening on and comprising a repetition of l, 2, 3, extends indefinitely around the disk. This series a indicates the number of outs each team is entitled to in an inning and is so constructed 2 that the same will be recorded in the next superposed disk. Located adjacent the series n is a series 0 which is to indicate the second half of the inning in which the play is being conducted, while adjacent thereto is a second series 7), the beginning of said series being approximately opposite the beginning of the series 0, and is to indicate the first half of the inning in which the play is being conducted. The operation and spacing of the series of numerals 0 and 1) will be more fully described in connection with the next disk. The top disk 9 is rotatably mounted on the central pin a and is provided with a button similar to the other disks. An opening 1 is provided in the periphery of said disk and is adapted to coincide with the series of numerals a and has printed thereunder the word Outs. This disk is provided to the left of the center and somewhat above the same with the radially disposed figures 1, 2, and 5}, under which is printed the word Strikes, while on the opposite side of the diameter of the disk are the numerals 1, 2, 3, and i under which is printed Balls. The numerals commence adjacent the horizontal diameter and extend toward the Vertical diameter, providing a means for indicating the strikes and balls called on the player. A pair of independently rotatable indicators or point ers 2 are mounted on the central pin a and operate in conjunction with said numerals, thus allowing a correct score to be kept of the balls and strikes. Diamctrieally disposed on the disk q are the oblong openings 8 and s, the opening .9 being nearer the periphery of the disk 9 than the opening 8, and consequently operates over the series of numerals 0 while the opening 8 incloses the numerals of the series p. The opening 8 has the designation First half of over the opening and Inning below. The opening 5 is similarly" designated by Second half of above the opening and Inning below.

The numerals of the series 72 are so spaced on the disk Z that during the rotation oi the disk q over the first three numbers of the series a the numeral 1 will continue to appear in the opening 5: after which the same numeral of the series 0 will appear in the opening 8 during the rotation of the disk over the next three numbers of. the series a, that is, constituting six outs and thus both halves of the innings. The spacing of the series 0 is such that every alternate set of three numerals, 1, 2, 3, will cause a numeral to appear in the opening 3 and continue therein while the disk 9 is passing over said numerals of the disk n. This also applies to the series 7) and the opening a. It will be seen from this construction that, upon the rotation of the disk g over the numerals of the series a, the portion oi the inning in which the play is occurring will be automatically indicated so long as the outs are recorded in the opening '1.

It will be seen from the foregoing that an accurate tally may be kept of the scores of the teams, the strikes and-balls be recorded and the outs indicated, automatically recording the portion of the inning in which the play is occurring.

On the opposite side of the plate (Z and rotatably mounted on the center pin a is a disk 2?, stationary with respect to the central pin and of a smaller diameter than the disk (Z. This disk is provided with a series of radially extending lines a forming the spaces 4). A series of concentrically disposed lines 20 are formed about the center of the disk It and are so spaced from the periphery thereof that suflicient room is supplied for the name of a player. The spaces 1) and the radially extending lines a are divided in two portions by the space a in which is the heading of the various teams. The heading for the visiting team corresponds with the side similarly headed on the disk (Z and. a space '0 coincides with each and every nume al designated adjacent said heading on said disk, while the heading for the home team likewise corresponds with the same heading 011 the visiting team. In the spaces 1) are the names of the players, while in the spaces 1 are indicated the runs, hits, outs, assists, and errors credited to each player.

A pair of indicators f hereinbetore mentioned, rotatably mounted on the center pin a comprise a pair of radially extending arms adapted to embrace the name of a player, the extremities of which are bent over the periphery of the disk (Z and span one of the numerals thereon. Each team is provided with an indicator f and as each player comes to the bat, the indicator is moved to the next numeral appearing on the face of the disk (Z, consequently when it is desired to find out which player is at the hat on either team, the only necessary operation is to turn the score card over and the players name will be embraced by the arms of the indicator All space on the disk Z'not occupied by the players names and individual scores made by said players, is occupied by advertising matter of various kinds, thus making the score keeper an advertising ntwelty or a paying proposition similar to the score cards now in use in the various ball parks.

From the foregoing description, it will readily be seen that all the essential elements and features of the game are readily scored on this card and that the totaling of the individual and team scores is a very simple matter. This card not only eliminates a great deal of clerical work heretofore necessary by the ofiicial score keepers but supmounted thereon, one of said disks having arranged concentrically thereon a series of three numbers, two concentrically arranged spaced notations located within said concentric series, the initial numbers of said notations being substantially oppositely disposed, and the distance between the numbers of each notation being equivalent to two of the series of three numbers, and a disk superposed above said last named disk having three openings therein adapted to operate over each series of numbers, one of said numbers adapted to appear in one of said openings during the operation of one series of three in one of the remaining openings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LUCIUS A. BROWN. \Vitnesses E. T. CoWEN, Var. C. JEssUr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

